Hey guys! This update took a little longer than expected due to some very serious (and thankfully, very brief) writer's block. Thankfully, I got past it and finished this chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Henry

When my mother stuck her head in my room in the middle of the night with the call I'd been waiting three months for, I was out the door in ten seconds flat. I hadn't bothered to put on real clothes or shoes, and when I hit the gravel at a dead sprint, small rocks bit into my feet. My feet burned, but adrenaline forced the pain out of my mind as I practically flew toward the colony's headquarters near the main gate. Soldiers posted on guard paid no heed to me, likely knowing my purpose. I flew up the bamboo stairs and skidded into the Commander's circular office. He sat at his glass-topped desk, scrolling through his computer nonchalantly. He seemed surprised at my sudden appearance, but quickly regained his steely composure as he stood.

"Well? Where is she?!" I said, my chest heaving as I scanned the room for Adriana. The Commander stood and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Compose yourself, Henry. She's not here." He said, slightly tightening the grip on my shoulder.

"Where, then?" I asked, putting my hands on my knees. The Commander went back to the chair at his desk as I sucked in long, deep breaths.

"That will be announced soon enough. I'm waiting for the others to get here."

"What others are there?" I asked, standing straight.

"Adriana's parents, brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, and friends." The Commander responded. Duh, you idiot. I was glad the room wasn't well lit, or the Commander would've seen my embarrassment.

"Which friends?" I inquired.

"Us," Jenna's cool voice replied from the doorway. Turning around, I watched as May, Jenna, Maddy and Josh came into the room. Josh was the only one wearing real clothes; the girls all wore pajamas and looked like they'd just crawled out of bed. It was strange seeing May and Jenna wearing glasses, because they normally didn't, and it was even more foreign seeing all three without a trace of makeup. May looked me up and down.

"Nice pajamas, Henry." She said, laughing. I looked down at what I was wearing, and realized with a shock of embarrassment that I was both barefoot and only wearing boxers and a t-shirt.

"It was planned," I said, feigning smugness. She rolled her eyes.

"Why exactly were we called here?" Josh asked, rubbing his eyes.

"I'll explain that as soon as…ah, here they are." The Commander replied as Adriana's parents, her aunt, uncle and Ally came into the room. Alex and Max were helping Lucille as she waddled along, round with the child that would be due in a month. I could hear her cursing in German under her breath, causing a faint smile to form on my lips. Even after being pregnant and woken up in the middle of the night, Lucille Prevot still took things in stride.

"Hello, Commander Taylor," Lucille greeted the Commander, waving with one hand.

"Hello, Dr. Prevot. Please, take my chair, I insist." The Commander wheeled his chair to Adriana's mother and held it for her as she leaned into it gratefully. He wheeled her over to the desk, motioned for everyone to come closer and slipped to the other side of the desk so we could gather around closely.

"What've you got for us, Commander?" Alex asked as we crowded around the large computer screen. The Commander reached around to the screen and tapped at a couple icons, bringing up a paused video before walking around to the opposite side of the desk so he could see us all.

"What you're about to see was sent to me less than hour ago. I'm sorry if this upsets any of you, but it was agreed that you all would need to see this, since you're the ones Adriana is closest to." He reached over the monitor and tapped the screen, starting the video. An older woman with fine, light-colored hair sat at a desk.

"Is it going?" A voice in the background asked.

"I think so. Take my spot." The woman replied, getting out of the chair. A young woman slid into her seat. She had a very thin, pale face and high cheekbones. Her blonde hair was wavy and was so long it went out of frame. Wearing a button-down shirt and no makeup, she seemed much older than she really was.

"Hey guys, it's Adriana. I'm here at outpost two with Dr. Margret St. Marin. It's about eight at night, and this is my second night here with Margret. I was supposed to record this video earlier today, but both Margret and I forgot about it until just a while ago. I'm alive and well, and I'm feeling better by the hour. I'm sure Maddy filled everyone in on what went down. Yes, I know Maddy's safe.

"This video is directed to a very specific group to people, to you guys who are most important in my life. Mom, Dad- know that I'm okay and that I'm getting plenty of rest and food. I know your due date is coming up, Mom, so you've got to stay off your feet. Jacob, you're still a mean brother, but I can't wait to see you so we can argue over stupid stuff again. Ally, Jenna, May- you three are my soul sisters and I'm glad that we've been able to come together and all be friends. Maddy, thank you for sticking by my side throughout our entire ordeal. You kept me from really going off the deep end. I'm still close to the edge of insanity, but you kept me as sane as possible. Max, Heather- you guys are too wonderful for words, and I'm glad that you two found each other. I can't wait to see your baby, whenever that day comes. Josh, thank you for being a good friend to Jacob and a great sister to Maddy.

"And most importantly, Henry. Face it, you guys; Henry's the one I've missed the most. Henry, those few brief letters we managed to get back and forth between home and the Badlands helped so much. Knowing that everyone still cared to search for us, and that you put so much effort into saving Maddy and I, means the world. I might only be sixteen, and this'll sound super cliché, but you're the light of life, the lover of my soul. You are so special to me. You have no idea how important you are to me. Your love keeps me going when all else fails. 'I love you' doesn't suffice for how I feel about you. Thank you for everything.

"I want you all to know that I really am okay. I weighed in yesterday after getting here and found out I only weighed a hundred and seventeen pounds. I've gained back four or five since then, but I've still got a long way to go. I hope this won't be the first time any of you heard this, but very early on in my imprisonment, I was harassed and raped multiple times by a guy whose name I won't say right now. I'll say this, though: he's a traitor to Terra Nova. I'm fine now, but in all honesty, I don't know that I'll really ever again be comfortable around guys I don't know. For now, at least, I feel nervous about being near strangers. I hope I'll be back to normal some day, but I'm not sure. Right now, there's not much I'm sure of. One thing I do know, though, is that I'll be okay. It will be alright. I'll return when the time is right, and when I'm healthy. Know that I love you all so much. This is Adriana, signing off. Goodnight."

Stunned silence.

I could feel hot, wet tears on my face, and the sniffles around me told me I wasn't alone in crying. Ally had her arms wrapped around herself as tears dripped down onto her shirt. I put my arm around her and gave her a reassuring hug. Adriana was the closest thing to a sister Ally had ever had, and likely was a mother figure, as well. Lucille, of course, was the adult in their household, but Adriana and Jacob were her kids, not Ally. Ally's mother died when Ally was a baby, and her father left for Terra Nova when she was still young. Despite always having someone there for her, whether it was her cousins or grandparents, she'd never had the experience of an actual family, and it was clear that Adriana was the person Ally cared for the most.

"It'll be okay," I murmured to her. "Don't be sad, Ally. She's okay."

"I'm not sad, Henry, I'm just glad she's alive and okay." Ally replied quietly. I didn't respond but instead gave her shoulder another squeeze.

"Margret St. Marin is a solo researcher who maintains permanent residence at outpost two about twenty miles to the southeast of the colony." The Commander explained. "Adriana's in more than capable hands with Dr. St. Marin. She was a psychiatrist years ago before taking up studies in botany. She's a little eccentric, but she's quick-witted and very intelligent. Many of our most important biological discoveries have come from her laboratory."

"How long will she be there? Can she come home soon?" I asked. The Commander shook his head.

"Dr. St. Marin wants to keep her until she's stable enough to return. She lost a lot of weight, and from the message I received, it sounds like there's a lot of psychological issues that need to be addressed before Adriana can reenter the colony." At his words, my heart fell.

"I'm due in a few weeks, sir, and I think Adriana needs to be here when her sibling is born." Lucille spoke up from her place in the chair.

"It all depends on how Adriana recovers. With all due respect, Dr. Prevot, know I'm not letting her return until Dr. St. Marin believes she's ready to." The Commander responded grimly.

"Why did I come back, then?" Maddy asked, a cold edge to her voice. "I lived through the same ordeal she did, and I didn't have to stay away from the colony."

"You were brought directly to the colony because you and Henry were picked up by a patrol. If you'd been with Adriana instead of Henry, you'd probably be out there at outpost two with her." The Commander replied. Maddy didn't say anything, but nodded in response.

"Can we go see her?" I asked, clinging to a small shred of hope that I would see Adriana soon.

"No. Once again, doctor's orders. Besides, she's been gone three months. You guys can wait another few weeks." The Commander responded, smiling. "I've taken up enough of your time. Go home and sleep. You can rest easy now, knowing Adriana will be fine."

Knowing Adriana was safe, I slept peacefully for the first time in months.

Adriana

"I received a reply from the colony." Margret said, sticking her head inside my room. I was lying in bed, reading a book on the botanist's Plex. I sat up in response.

"Really? What did they say?" I asked. Margret shrugged.

"Nothing specific. Taylor said your family is very relieved that you're safe. Both your mother and aunt are due in a few weeks to give birth." She explained. My shoulders sagged at the mention of my pregnant family.

"I won't be there for either birth." The words fell from my lips like a weight were attached; knowing I'd miss out on the birth of my cousin and sibling was disheartening.

"Most likely, no. It's a shame, but you've got to be better before returning." Margret replied, sitting on the bed next to me. She placed her hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure your family is just as disappointed you won't be there."

"What about the others? My friends?" I asked, looking up to meet Margret's pale eyes.

"All your girlfriends miss hanging out with you."

"I miss them the most. They're the sisters I never had." I told her, smiling weakly.

"What about a young man by the name of Henry? The Commander said he hasn't been the same without you around." Margret asked, prodding my side. I looked at the floor. When an undeniable grin snuck onto my face, Margret smirked. "He's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

I looked at her and nodded, smiling with mild embarrassment.

"He's very special to me." I told her. Margret scoffed.

"Oh, puh-leeze. You're practically the color of an apple, dear. Spill it." She demanded. My heart fluttering, I launched into a lengthy description of Henry, and from his eyes to his humor, I told Margret everything I loved about him. I told her the story of how we met, and how close we were when we'd only been friends. She sat and listened as I described every little detail of our relationship that I was willing to share. She didn't pry, and when I clearly didn't want to talk about something, she let it rest. I didn't feel comfortable telling Margret about the extremely steamy make out sessions we'd had. It was something personal and intimate I wanted to keep only between Henry and myself.

Henry

As the weeks passed by, we received near-daily updates on Adriana's progress. Never photos or videos, just short tidbits of information from Dr. St. Marin. She gained back twenty pounds in the first week alone, and was on an exercise routine to help regain lost muscle mass. Maddy, who'd gone through much of the same as Adriana, was going through a similar process to gain back muscle lost from months of sitting in a cold, dark cell.

My poor father, who'd officially been discharged from Taylor's service, was left with the worst outcome of the whole situation. A three-inch section of his inner thigh was gone, and it was difficult for him to walk. The doctors were confident that with physical therapy, he would be able to build up enough muscle to compensate for what had been obliterated by the gunshot. He sat at home and read books or wrote, for the most part. I often found him sitting on the porch swing as I walked home after school, and sometimes I sat with him and talked. Knowing I saved his life melted away every underlying issue we'd ever had, and it was refreshing to see that he truly was proud of who I'd become.

For the first time in ages, I could smile and truly mean it. I was at peace knowing everyone I cared about was safe and accounted for. The situation wasn't ideal, but it was substantially better than what could've happened. What all had happened over the past year was worth it for the clarity I felt. I'd had my highest highs, and my lowest lows in the past year, and I'd come to understand that I was a better person because of it. The people I surrounded myself with were better, and they influenced me in ways I hadn't realized. I smiled more, I laughed more, I was kinder. I wanted to be inclusive, and I had no desire to make genuinely cruel remarks about other people. I was still sarcastic and quick-witted, but I enjoyed being able to step back and sit quietly by myself. The peace of being alone was profound, and I found that I thought clearer and more logically. I was a better person, and I knew why.

It was Adriana. Had she not come to Terra Nova, I wasn't sure who I'd be. Cruel and uncaring, still a womanizer. Always chasing after May in the hope that she'd someday want to be with me, not knowing she had a boyfriend in the future. Because of Adriana, I'd come to appreciate that life wasn't a popularity contest, or journey toward perfection. It was about learning and changing while discovering what was most important. It was about appreciating the small things in each day, and knowing that at any second, you could lose that which was most important to you. Adriana embraced the good and bad with a positive attitude that was impossible not to notice. I learned intelligence and beauty at the same time was both possible and real. Most importantly, I learned to just be happy. I learned that life was a mystery that had to be taken a little at a time, and that the only way to take it was with people you love and a smile on your face.

Adriana

"How long have I been here, Margret?" I asked one morning during breakfast. Margret sipped her coffee before answering.

"About five weeks." Her reply was short and simple.

"When can I leave?" I blurted out. I slapped a hand over my mouth in surprise. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that. I'm just-"

"You're just anxious to get home to your friends and family." She cut in, smiling over her glasses. "Don't apologize; I understand your desire to be with your loved ones."

"I just want my old life back, Margret. You know that." I told her.

"You'll never go back to your old life, Adriana. After what you've gone through, I doubt your life will be the same. Perhaps, what you mean is that you want to go back to your old friends and family." She suggested. I smiled and nodded.

"Exactly. You never answered my question, though. When can I go home?" I asked. Margret shrugged, cutting a piece of fruit with the side of her fork.

"I'm not sure of a specific date, if that's what you mean. You've progressed much quicker than any patient I've had, so I suspect you'll be able to go home in a week or two." She responded nonchalantly. My heart fluttered in my chest at her words.

"How will we get back?"

"I have a rover, but the battery's been dead for months. I get supplies once a month, but in the excitement of new food and tools, I always forget to request a new one. You'll be going back with the supply rover at the end of the month." She explained.

"Don't they have solar panels for recharging the batteries?"

"Yes, but they're in short supply, and the crazy old researcher whose made some of our most important biological discoveries apparently isn't high enough on the list of importance to receive one." Margret answered, a hint of bitterness fringing her words.

"That's a load of crap! Why would they have so few?"

"They've got countless numbers of solar panels, but the vast majority of them are in use on houses and businesses. Those that aren't being used by homes and businesses go toward powering the Eye and the Commander's rovers." Margret said, sipping her coffee. Suddenly, something clicked in my brain.

"Wait a second…I'm going back with the supply rover. What about you, Margret? Don't you want to come back to the colony?" I asked. She shook her head.

"No, not particularly. I've always been more of a lone wolf." She explained.

"Were you once part of a pack, then, and got kicked out?" I guessed, continuing with the wolf metaphor. Margret smiled and shook her head.

"I never really had a pack. More or less, I meant that I've always been content to be on my own. I'd rather be independent and not have to rely on other people." She told me.

"I've always enjoyed being around others, but nobody seemed to enjoy being around me." I explained. "Throughout my childhood, I was basically a social outcast. Nobody like me, and it was mainly due to my appearance."

"Your appearance?"

"Let's just say that I was a little chubby." I told her, smiling. She laughed.

"You've had a hard life, haven't you?" she asked, her eyes searing into me. I shook my head and shrugged.

"Honestly, no. When I was younger, I never really talked about my problems, mainly because I didn't want the kids at school to get in trouble and then isolate me even more. The people at school sucked, but I had the best support system ever. My family's really close, and we've always been there for each other. Through my brother, my mom knew that school wasn't been easy for me, but she trusted that I could handle my problems."

"Could you handle your problems?" Margret asked, her interest piqued. I nodded.

"I found solace in reading and writing. Books were my safe haven; they were what I went to after school. I could learn the story of someone, and seeing how they solved their own issues was comforting. I knew it was all fiction, but it helped me see that there was hope. I bridged the worlds of fiction and reality and applied what I'd learned about problem solving in fiction to my own problems in the real world."

"And writing? How did writing help?" Margret implored.

"When I was older, I started to write-"

"Did you write original pieces, or was it more journaling?" Margret interrupted.

"Mostly original stuff. I stayed away from poetry, and found myself gravitating toward historical fiction and fan fiction."

"Why those genres?"

"It's an incredible feeling to be able to tell the story of a character whose would've otherwise never been heard, or explore an aspect of the life of a famous historical figure. I could take a background character from a book or movie who never received any major exposition and create their past and persona." I explained.

"Where did your inspiration come from? Would you see an interesting-looking person in a movie and wonder who they were?"

"Pretty much. The cashier in a grocery store might be mentioned for a line in a book, and that'll be enough to get me writing sometimes. I wonder what their life is like, and what hardships they've gone through. I often find myself imagining them as being at a bad place in their life so that I can make it better for them. Sometimes it's simply through an extra tip from a customer or a compliment in a book store, and other times it's something bigger, like finding a lost pet or getting a dream job, that makes them have a big revelation about how lucky they are, or that things aren't as bad as they thought. I try to make their existence a better one." I replied. Margret sat back and crossed her arms.

"You're funny, you know that?" she said, smiling.

"Why's that?"

"It's my job to figure out everything that goes on in a person's head, and up until now I thought I had you figured out. I thought you were a creative, strong-minded girl with a thick skin for criticism, but from what you've just told me, I see so much more of who you are. You have a desire to make things better. You want the best for everyone, and you don't want anyone to feel belittled or diminished." She explained, smiling. I was astounded that she'd sifted that out of a statement about why I chose to write about certain things.

"You really are good at this, aren't you?" I asked. She nodded and smiled.

"I worked as a psychiatrist for fifteen years before turning to botany, and even then, I still worked with clients through in-home sessions."

"So, you've dealt with plenty of crazy people, then?" I inquired. She nodded.

"You wouldn't believe the things I've heard people say."

"On a scale of zero to ten, where would I rank? Like, how insane was I when I first got here?" Margret was quiet for a minute or two as she thought.

"Maybe a five or six, at worst. You really did have most of your mental capabilities intact. What I've deduced is that most of your issues stemmed from stress rather than an actual insanity. To put it into metaphorical terms, you had a few bolts that were beginning to unscrew, but it would still take awhile before they'd fall out." She explained.

"Would a zero be considered normal, then?" I asked.

"A one would be the most preferable, but a zero isn't bad. Humans should have a little insanity, or else our species would be doomed to an unbreakable stalemate at the hands of a fearful race of people unwilling to take chances on crazy things." She clarified.

"What number am I now?" I asked, leaning forward in my chair. Margret smiled.

"This scale isn't an accurate measure of insanity."

"And…?"

"Your progress has be significantly quicker than any other patient I've had." Margret answered coolly.

"What does that mean?" If my endless stream of questions bothered her, Margret didn't show it. The woman chuckled.

"It means you'll be home soon enough."

What's your opinion of Margret? I haven't gotten much feedback about her, and I would love to know what you think! I know it's driving you all crazy to see Adriana and Henry unite, and I promise, you won't have to wait much longer!